Breeds

Mastiff Puppy Growth Chart: Guide to Healthy Development

As one of the largest dog breeds (by weight), Mastiff puppies grow incredibly fast, but growing too quickly can also cause many bone or joint problems. Utilizing an English Mastiff puppy growth chart and feeding the best food for a Mastiff puppy can help ensure your tiny giant grows at the proper pace for a long, healthy, pain-free life.

Here’s everything you need to know about feeding and exercising your Mastiff puppy to help them grow up healthy and happy.

Understanding the English Mastiff Puppy Growth Chart

An English Mastiff puppy growth chart can help you determine whether your puppy is growing at an appropriate rate. If your puppy weighs less than the chart says they should, they may not be getting enough food. If they weigh more than they should, they may be growing too quickly, which puts added stress on their joints and may contribute to hip or elbow dysplasia or other joint problems.

As your Mastiff puppy grows, you should refer occasionally to the below chart to make sure they’re growing at the proper rate.

Selecting the Best Food for Your Mastiff Puppy

According to English Mastiff breeder Cathy (Catie) Arney, “Mastiffs have been shown to grow and maintain proper growth on a 100% meat-based diet.” Additionally, studies have shown that puppies fed a raw, meat-based diet are much less likely to suffer from certain conditions when they grow up, including:

Finally, dogs have no nutritional requirement for carbohydrates.

When you add all this up, it’s easy to see that the best food for a Mastiff puppy is a nutritionally complete raw, meat-based diet like We Feed Raw, which is complete and balanced for dogs of all life stages, including the growth of large breed puppies like English Mastiffs.

Worried about raw meat making your puppy sick? Don’t be. In addition to the fact that dogs’ digestive tracts are perfectly designed (with highly acidic stomachs and short intestines) to handle raw meat without succumbing to illness from pathogens, We Feed Raw uses a cold-pressure process to inactivate any potential pathogens, making it safe for sensitive puppy tummies.

Feeding Your Mastiff Puppy

When you first bring your Mastiff puppy home, you should feed them 3-4 times a day. That’s because Mastiff puppies need to eat a lot of food relative to their size to grow properly, and their stomachs aren’t big enough to eat enough food in only 2 meals per day.

Once your puppy reaches about 4-6 months of age, you can decrease the number of feedings to 2-3 meals per day, and starting around 6 months of age, you can drop to only 2 meals per day. Since Mastiffs eat so much and are highly prone to bloat, you should never feed your Mastiff fewer than 2 meals per day.

Exercising Your Mastiff Puppy

Exercise is important for all dogs, but for large-breed puppies like Mastiffs, you should try not to let them run or jump until they are at least 18 months old. Running, jumping, and other strenuous exercises can damage your puppy’s joints or break their bones, potentially setting them up for a lifetime of pain.

Long walks (when it isn’t too hot, as Mastiffs are prone to overheating) and gentle play indoors should provide the base of your puppy’s exercise program. Another excellent way to provide your puppy with physical and mental stimulation is to spread We Feed Raw (or canned dog food) on a lick mat or stuff it into a Kong, Toppl, or other enrichment toy, and then freeze it.

Feeding some (or even all) of your puppy’s meals in enrichment toys like this helps keep your pup’s mind and body busy. Not only is it a great form of gentle exercise, but you can also use enrichment like this to acclimate your puppy to a crate or give them something to do while you’re gone to prevent them from developing separation anxiety.

Socialization and Training

Since your Mastiff puppy may grow to outweigh you one day, early socialization and obedience training are crucial. As soon as your puppy has been vaccinated, you should start taking them to as many places as possible to expose them to new sights, sounds, smells, experiences, and people.

That includes taking them to a groomer for baths and nail trims. There may come a time when you are unwilling or unable to bathe your giant dog yourself, so you want to desensitize your puppy to the grooming experience frequently when they are young and small so they don’t grow to become a 200-pound giant that’s terrified of the dryer.

You should also start doing basic obedience training with your puppy as soon as you bring them home. After all, you will want to train them to walk on a loose leash before they grow large enough to drag you around wherever they want.

Start Your Mastiff Puppy Off on the Right Paw With We Feed Raw

Give your puppy the best possible start in life by giving them We Feed Raw. Our nutritionally complete patties are easy to feed, whether you dump them into a bowl, spread them on a lick mat, or stuff them into an enrichment toy.

Made from approximately 80% muscle meat (with associated connective tissue and fat), 10% organ meat, and 10% finely ground bone, plus a small amount of added vitamins and minerals, our food also goes through a cold-pressure process to inactivate potential pathogens and make it safe to feed.

Take our quiz now and start your Mastiff puppy on their raw journey.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do I track the growth of my English Mastiff puppy?

You should periodically check your puppy’s growth against an English Mastiff puppy growth chart like the one we included near the top of this article. If your puppy is larger or smaller than expected for their age, you may need to adjust how much you’re feeding them.

What is the best food to feed my Mastiff puppy for optimal growth?

The best food for a Mastiff puppy is a complete and balanced raw diet like We Feed Raw. Large-breed dogs like Mastiffs thrive on a meat-based diet, and carb-rich kibble can make puppies grow too quickly. We Feed Raw is also excellent for spreading onto lick mats or stuffing into enrichment toys to help your puppy get joint-safe exercise and mental stimulation.

The Best Food for a Mastiff Puppy

Ready to ensure your Mastiff puppy grows up to be strong, healthy, and happy? We Feed Raw is the answer. Our balanced raw meals provide the perfect diet for your gentle giant, supporting proper growth and preventing health issues associated with fast-growing large breeds. Through carefully portioned feedings, we help you maintain your Mastiff's growth within the ideal range, as indicated by the growth chart provided in this article.

We Feed Raw isn't just about top-notch nutrition; it's also about convenience and peace of mind. Our cold-pressure processed food eliminates the worry about pathogens, keeping your puppy's sensitive stomach safe. Plus, our nutritionally complete patties are a breeze to serve—whether in a bowl or used for mental enrichment in toys, keeping those massive paws and curious minds engaged without overstraining their developing joints.

Remember, proper socialization and obedience training are pivotal for your colossal companion. Start them on the right path with the premium, meat-based diet they need to thrive. Take our quiz today to find the ideal meal plan for your Mastiff puppy and begin their raw food adventure with We Feed Raw. It's the first step to a lifetime of vigor and vitality for your beloved puppy.

Visit wefeedraw.com now and discover how simple feeding your Mastiff the best diet can be!